A Final Farewell: Everything You Need to Know About Pope Francis’s Funeral.
The world is preparing to say goodbye to one of the most beloved and reformative pontiffs in modern history. Pope Francis, who passed away on Monday morning at the age of 88, will be laid to rest on Saturday in Rome. The funeral is expected to draw tens of thousands of mourners and an extraordinary assembly of international dignitaries, reflecting the global reach and moral influence of a man who redefined the modern papacy.
When and Where Will the Pope's Funeral Take Place?
The funeral mass will be held at 10am local time in St Peter’s Square—an iconic site that has hosted the farewells of popes for centuries. Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, dean of the College of Cardinals, will preside over the ceremony. More than 170 foreign delegations are expected to attend, along with tens of thousands of pilgrims and worshippers.
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The scale is reminiscent of Pope Benedict XVI’s funeral in January 2023, which drew over 50,000 people. In the days leading up to Saturday, over 50,000 mourners filed past Pope Francis’s body, laid in state in an open wooden coffin in St Peter’s Basilica.
Who Will Be the Pope's Funeral Attending?
A remarkable list of world leaders and royals will be present, representing both allies and critics of the late pope. Among the most high-profile attendees are:
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Donald Trump, the U.S. president, accompanied by his wife, Melania.
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Emmanuel Macron of France, Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine, and António Guterres, the UN secretary general.
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Keir Starmer, UK Prime Minister, will attend alongside Prince William, representing the British monarchy.
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Sergio Mattarella and Giorgia Meloni, the president and prime minister of Italy, respectively.
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King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain, and Michael D Higgins and Micheál Martin of Ireland.
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Latin America will be represented by Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil and Javier Milei, president of Argentina, despite his previous incendiary comments about Francis.
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Rosa Icela Rodríguez, Mexico’s interior minister, will attend on behalf of President Claudia Sheinbaum.
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Ferdinand Marcos Jr., president of the Philippines, will also be present.
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Russia will send Olga Lyubimova, its culture minister, as President Putin continues to avoid travel due to international sanctions and his ICC arrest warrant.
Opposition figures such as Alberto Núñez Feijóo of Spain and Jordan Bardella of France’s National Rally will also be in attendance. Despite ideological differences, Bardella recently praised Francis for his "constant attention to the forgotten and the dignity of the most vulnerable."
Security Measures and Logistical Preparations
Rome has transformed into a fortress for the occasion. Over 2,000 police officers and 400 traffic personnel are deployed, with anti-terrorism units, no-fly zones, and anti-drone technology in full effect. Barriers have been set up around the Basilica, and crowd-control systems are in place to handle the expected surge of mourners under the city’s warm spring weather.
A Simplified Farewell in Accordance With His Wishes
True to his modest nature, Pope Francis requested a pared-back funeral. Last year, he introduced new rules to simplify papal funerals, allowing a pope to be "laid out and buried like any son or daughter of the church."
As Francis once said: “With dignity, but not on cushions. In my opinion, the ritual was too ornate.”
Breaking with long-held tradition, his body will not be enclosed in the customary triple coffin (cypress, lead, and oak), but instead will rest in a single wooden casket lined with zinc.
Where Will Pope Francis Be Buried?
Unlike most of his predecessors who chose the Vatican Grottoes beneath St Peter’s, Francis selected Santa Maria Maggiore Basilica in the Esquilino district of Rome as his final resting place. The basilica was a personal sanctuary for him—a Marian shrine he frequently visited before and after his travels.
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“As I’ve always promised the Virgin, the place is already prepared,” he shared in a 2023 interview with Mexican TV. “I want to be buried in Santa Maria Maggiore because it’s my great devotion.”
His burial will be modest, in accordance with his instructions: “in the ground, without particular decoration,” marked simply by his papal name in Latin: Franciscus. Following the funeral mass, his coffin will be carried in procession to the basilica, where the public may visit his tomb from Sunday onward.
What Happens After the Pope's Funeral?
Francis’s funeral initiates the Novemdiales, a nine-day period of mourning and prayer for the pope’s soul. Shortly after, preparations will begin for the conclave, the sacred gathering in the Sistine Chapel where cardinals under the age of 80 (currently 135 eligible electors) will select the next pope.
Votes will be cast in secrecy, with black smoke indicating inconclusive rounds, and white smoke signifying that a new pope has been chosen—bringing a new chapter for the Catholic Church and its 1.4 billion followers.
Who Might Succeed Him?
While papal elections are notoriously hard to predict, several names have emerged as frontrunners. These include:
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Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, a progressive voice from Italy.
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Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state.
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Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle from the Philippines, a figure with significant appeal in the Global South.
The unpredictability of papal elections was summed up by Francis himself, who joked that his own selection involved going “to the end of the earth” to find a pope.
A Final Word
The passing of Pope Francis leaves a profound void in the heart of the Church and in the hearts of millions around the globe. His courage, compassion, and tireless advocacy for the poor, the forgotten, and the marginalized forever changed the tone and reach of the papacy.
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While I grieve deeply for his loss, I am also filled with gratitude—for the life he lived, the bridges he built, and the grace with which he led. His legacy will endure, not only in history, but in the spirit of all who were touched by his message of love and humility.
